


Best Friends

by lemon_and_chai



Category: Tennis no Oujisama | Prince of Tennis
Genre: Friendship, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2004-09-05
Updated: 2004-09-05
Packaged: 2017-11-23 02:11:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 550
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/616920
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lemon_and_chai/pseuds/lemon_and_chai
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It had to do with what they had in common, but luckily (for them, and unluckily for the rest of the world), no one seemed to notice. Those around them seemed to think it was some sort of complimentary nature, where quiet, subtle Fuji balanced erratic, hyperactive Eiji.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Best Friends

It had to do with what they had in common, but luckily (for them, and unluckily for the rest of the world), no one seemed to notice. Those around them seemed to think it was some sort of complimentary nature, where quiet, subtle Fuji balanced erratic, hyperactive Eiji.

If only they knew the truth. Then again, had they known, they would have spent their remaining time cowering in fear of the upcoming apocalypse, rather than sauntering on in life's blissful ignorance.

Really though, their approaches were different, so that was probably why nobody noticed. Usually, Fuji maintained a placid, gentle frame of innocence, leaving an amiable impression on those who became acquainted with the tensai; until he'd suddenly strike, viciously and powerfully, in one well planned swoop that taught people to never, ever, ever underestimate him, and especially to never catch his attention, whether that be affection or hatred.

Eiji on the other hand, never came off as particularly clever. Bouncy and cheerful, most people saw him as both innocent and ignorant, a well-achieved image the redhead relished in having successfully created. If anything happened, they usually thought it was some sort of dumb luck, the bad kind that caused all sorts of disasters in which only the perpetrator came out unscathed. So people continued to underestimate him, wary only of his acute moments of clumsiness that wondrously slipped through his skills as an acrobatic.

Each found he could use the other to his advantage.

The reasons behind it were slightly different too. Fuji's sadistic tendencies caused him to delight in watching others suffer. Eiji just liked anything that brought out a good laugh. While most people at least observed enough to come to these general conclusions, they failed to see how this brought the two together. As best friends they seemed like an odd couple, as if made only to balance the Oishi Tezuka friendship and thus allowing them to go on bizarrely comfortable double dates.

But though Fuji recognized Eiji's penchant for Oishi, and Eiji recognized Fuji's inclination for Tezuka, both acknowledged by unspoken agreement that even if they had never met the other two reputable boys, they'd still be the best of friends.

There had been the principle's prized bust turning into Mary Carey episode, the time all the yakisoba pan had somehow ended up stuffed with jalapenos, the sudden appearance of mistletoe plastered over every inch of the club room's ceiling last Christmas, the vodka which had made its way into Taka-san's water thermos and ended with hundreds of dollars in property damage, and of course the Tezuka's mixed up glasses incident that still brought Fuji random bought of laughter if anyone so much as hinted at it.

For the two third-years, it was kind of like a tango, or sometimes like ballet. The unexpected or purposely imposed circumstances drilled out the boredom which used to threaten to swallow them whole, sending them into some suicidal void from which neither could have escaped on his own.

It wasn't a romantic kind of love - it was more like camaraderie appreciation. Like they say, it takes one to know one:

And Eiji and Fuji were the greatest pranksters to ever cross paths.

Laughing wickedly, they deftly exchanged notes in class, already working out their next joint master plan.

**Author's Note:**

> Written way before Niou was even hinted at existing.


End file.
